Page 102 of Lightning Angel
“I love you too, baby,” her mother whispered. “Inever stopped loving you.”
“I missed you so much. It was never the same without you.”
Her mother pulled her back into a hug and clutched her close. “Can you ever forgive me for breaking your little hearts? Leaving you was inexcusable even though I was doing it to be with the man I loved. But leaving you both was the most selfish thing I’ve ever done. I’ve never told this to anyone before, but your pleading cries haunt me to this day.”
And she cried hard. Alexa clung to her mother and cried with her.
“Can you ever forgive me, Alexa?”
Alexa’s heart tore at her mother’s breaking voice. Up until then, she didn’t realize their reunion had somehow made her forgive her, almost automatically. “I forgive you, Mom,” she murmured. “Can you forgive me for the horrible things I said to you?”
“Oh, baby, in a sense, I deserved it.” Her mother stroked her hair. “There’s no need for you to ask for my forgiveness, but if it makes feel you any better, yes. I forgive you.”
Alexa felt the years-long wounds in her heart gradually closing. She held the crumpled tissue to her nose as she cried. “I’ve missed yousomuch.”
“I’ve missed you too, baby,” Tiffany said, composing herself. “I know we cannot go back to the way we were, but if you’re willing to give me a second chance, I will be a better mother, even with this distance between us.”
Alexa pulled away from the hug and looked at her mother. “That’s why I came here,” she said. “I know you have a family you’re responsible for—”
“Oh, sweetheart. You and Cassie are my girls. You will always be my family.”
She smiled gently at the sincere look in her mother’s eyes. “Thank you, Mom. I don’t expect you to play the same part in our lives as before, because Cassie and I will never get along with Jude or his dad. No offense, I’ll learn to be happy for you because I can see you’re happy with your…husband. I just… I just wanted to mendourrelationship. That’s all.”
Understanding filled her mother’s green eyes. “Whatever it is that you want, I’m here for you, always. Does this mean we’ll stay in touch?”
The hope that filled her eyes crushed Alexa’s heart. Her mother loved them so much; she hadneverstopped loving them. “Yes, we will.”
Tiffany took the crumpled tissue from Alexa’s hand and tossed it to the bin nearby, and took Alexa’s hands in hers. They smiled at each other, two broken hearts slowly mending.
“I can’t tell you how ecstatic you’ve just made me, honey. This is a dream come true.” Her mother sniffed again and squeezed Alexa’s fingers. “I’m curious about thespecial someoneyou mentioned, the one who made you realize we needed to smooth things over.”
Alexa’s face split with a grin at the thought of him. “His name is Tristan; he’s my boyfriend.”
She watched her mother’s reaction with anticipation. Jude’s words, that Tristan overheard the other day, sprang to her mind.
Tiffany’s eyes widened slightly, she looked surprised. “I’m glad to hear you have a new boyfriend. He sounds like a remarkable boy.”
“He is,” Alexa agreed, unable to suppress her grin. “He makes me a better person.”
The moment the admission fell from her lips, she realized how true they were.
Tiffany’s eyes softened. “I can see that. You look much different than the last time I saw you, not just in your appearance, but you carry this lightness with you. You’re full of life and glowing.”
Alexa nodded her agreement. “I was dead after losing Dad; it was like a part of me died along with him. But after meeting Tristan, he resurrected that dead part of me. He makes me happy, he understands me, he’s honest; he’ssucha gentleman.” She chuckled with a shake of her head. “He makes me special, and he makes me feel everything I’ve never felt before…” She trailed off.
If she were to continue, she’d definitely bore her mother. Tristan was more than she could describe with words.
Nevertheless, her mother looked anything but bored. She listened eagerly, a soft smile filling her face, the look in her eyes adoring. “I hope to see your Tristan one day.”
“Oh, he’s actually here.” Tiffany lit up at her words. Alexa hooked her thumb behind her. “He’s just outside. Shall I call him in?”
“Of course.” Tiffany reached for a tissue and dried her face urgently with it. “Of course, please ask him to come in.”
Alexa checked beneath her eyes for tears before she turned to the door. Tristan sat on one of the chairs along the wall, reading a magazine.
She poked her head out and called him, “Tristan?”
Tristan looked up and smiled at her sight. Heabandoned the magazine and stood, but as his eyes locked with hers, he frowned slightly.